Neoteny and Homosexuality

Introduction

The presence of same-sex sexual behavior was not "officially" observed on a large scale until the 1990s due to possible observer bias caused by social attitudes towards LGBT people, making the homosexual theme taboo.

There is documented evidence of homosexual behavior of one or more of the following kinds:
Sex, courtship, affection, pair bonding, or parenting.
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List of mammals displaying homosexual behavior

Bison, Brown bear, Brown rat, Cavy, Caribou, Cat (domestic), Cattle (domestic), Chimpanzee
Common dolphin, Common marmoset, Dog, Elephant, Fox, Giraffe, Goat, Horse (domestic)
Human, Koala, Lion, Orca, Panda and Raccoon
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Neoteny

Neoteny in humans is the slowing or delaying of body development, compared to non-human primates, resulting in features such as a large head, a flat face, and relatively short arms and legs. These neotenic changes may have been brought about by sexual selection in human evolution. In turn, they may have permitted the development of human capacities such as emotional communication.

Neoteny is seen in domesticated animals such as dogs and mice. This is because there are more resources available, less competition for those resources, and with the lowered competition the animals expend less energy obtaining those resources. This allows them to mature and reproduce more quickly than their wild counterparts.
Evolutionary neoteny can arise in a species when those conditions occur, and a species becomes sexually mature ahead of its "normal development". Another explanation for the neoteny in domesticated animals can be the selection for certain behavioral characteristics

The anthropologist Marvin Harris suggested that the blue-eyed, blond-haired Scandinavians may have come by those neotenous features in a quest for vitamin D and A. They were prolonging the lactate-processing features of infants into adults. What is particularly unique about these features of Scandinavians is that both males and females are featuring physical characteristics of neoteny.
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Paedomorphosis


There are two aspects of paedomorphosis: acceleration of sexual maturation relative to the rest of development (progenesis) and retardation of bodily development with respect to the onset of reproductive activity (neoteny).

Paedomorphosis is an evolutionary process in which the development of individuals in a derived species is slowed
down compared to its ancestor

Animal Homosexuality: A Biosocial Perspective by Aldo Poiani (ISBN13: 9780521145145) p. 153
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Summary

I was looking into the homosexuality that occurs in species, and like most researches it came up inconclusive, the common trait is usually Neoteny and an early sexual debut along with hormones, but however the main reason is for the species survival, i came to the conclusion homosexuality is a genetic trade to make sure the best outcome for survival of the specie.


Source

List of animals displaying homosexual behavior
Animal Homosexuality: A Biosocial Perspective
Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity
Neoteny.Org

a reply to: tikbalang

I just dont feel the need to identify with such a base behavior...

a reply to: BlueJacket

Then just looooove everyone instead

a reply to: tikbalang

yes, well thats the point...Love has nothing to do with sex
I appreciate your effort, I apologize for jumping in and not adding much, but I am just so tired of all of the recent talk regarding themes that only matter because people make them matter.

Im a farmer (and an medical practitioner), 90% of what people want to shine a light on lately...to me, is just status quo. I think its indicative of city living, removal from nature and things that truly matter when we all have to rationalize nature to suit 1st person identity.

Sexuality, while important, truly plays a minor role in the life cycle outside of modern convenience based society.

I kept a group of pet rats. I have seen them "displaying homosexual behavior." Do you know what it was all about?

Establishing group dominance. They were dominating each other. They were not pair bonding or showing love toward one another. The one on top was saying, "You are my b*tch, and I own you." It was a way of doing it that did not involve actually having to resort to teeth and fight which they only did when they were evenly matched.

I've also seen fish do it too.

In fish, it is a breeding strategy that allows sub-dominant males a chance to breed with females. They adopt female colors and breeding postures to come between the dominant male and the actual female so they can also scatter sperm over the real female's eggs. They don't want to mate with the male. They want to mate with the female and if they tried to act like a male, the dominant male will kick their butt.

In conclusion, homosexual behavior in animals is not the same in many ways as it is said to be in humans. It's not about pair bonding often or love. It's about other social factors and often the animals are not actually trying to breed with each other either. So it's a mistake to conclude that the behaviors are exactly analogous across the board.

originally posted by: ketsuko
I kept a group of pet rats. I have seen them "displaying homosexual behavior." Do you know what it was all about?

Establishing group dominance. They were dominating each other. They were not pair bonding or showing love toward one another. The one on top was saying, "You are my b*tch, and I own you."

Giraffes do the same thing. When they fight, the loser is literally screwed by the winner.

a reply to: tikbalang

I can understand what you're trying to do and learn/discover and as someone who has and is working with late teens I can tell you that most modern teens really don't stick to one label. Even the "tough manly men" say one thing but later will almost always admit to wanting or even curious about bating for the other team (Same with Women) and that's surprising because growing up (80/90s/early 00s) anything but straight for a guy was something to pick on.

Speaking personally, I've never really considered myself gay, straight or anything really. Some would say it's Bi but that's not of interest either. I've slept with women (all three of them lol) but have always wondered what it'd be like to be with a bloke but have never acted on it, and that's something that I think if all blokes (and women) were honest about would wonder the same thing. I think the truth is, sexual attraction may just come down to not just how we feel but how society feels about it as well. In years to come it's gonna come down to who you fancy and who does it for you at that time, straight and gay will go the way of the dodo bird and we'll all be Bi.

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a reply to: Dwoodward85

It's generally normal for adolescents to go through a period of confusion. That doesn't mean they are one orientation or the other. Puberty is just generally confusing for everyone. Most teens never act on that confusion.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: Dwoodward85

It's generally normal for adolescents to go through a period of confusion. That doesn't mean they are one orientation or the other. Puberty is just generally confusing for everyone. Most teens never act on that confusion.

Yes, but that confusion is caused because society tells them that those feelings are "bad" and that it is wrong to feel the way they do.

a reply to: ketsuko

But that was my point. I might not have put it across properly but most of the late teens don't care about being gay or straight and most have sometimes in a round about way, said that they would date anyone who took their fancy. that was my point but again, I might not have said it correctly.

originally posted by: Woodcarver

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: Dwoodward85

It's generally normal for adolescents to go through a period of confusion. That doesn't mean they are one orientation or the other. Puberty is just generally confusing for everyone. Most teens never act on that confusion.

Yes, but that confusion is caused because society tells them that those feelings are "bad" and that it is wrong to feel the way they do.

Society does? You must have missed the dramatic shift in societal tone lately.